REOPENING UPDATE: Theme Park Industry Rolls Out Extensive Guidelines for ‘New Normal’

A new theme park reopening plan developed in partnership with Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Six Flags and Cedar Fair lays out nearly 300 guidelines for theme parks preparing to resume operations during the global pandemic.

The 36-page COVID-19 Reopening Guidance plan issued by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) trade organization outlines health and safety principles and approaches to consider as the theme park industry begins to recover in the wake of this unprecedented period.

IAAPA worked with major industry players, epidemiologists, U.S. Center for Diseases Control and the World Health Organization to outline potential protocols for theme parks in the post-COVID-19 era. Universal, SeaWorld, Six Flags and Cedar Fair —which are all developing their own reopening guidelines— contributed to the IAAPA plan. Disney and Legoland did not participate in the IAAPA plan. The guidelines are only recommendations. It’s unlikely any park would adopt all of the protocols.

IAAPA Theme Park Reopening Guidelines

Many of the basic guidelines recommended by IAAPA are now familiar as part of the emerging new normal: social distancing, handwashing, increased sanitization, mobile ordering, contactless payments, protective face masks and employee training.

Other guidelines have been frequently discussed throughout the theme park industry as likely additions in the post-COVID-19 era: Staggering arrival times, reducing attraction capacity and virtual queue systems.

The most interesting parts of the comprehensive industry plan were the less obvious recommendations. Here are the highlights from the IAAPA guidelines that theme parks can consider implementing:

Employees

• Separate work teams into groups to keep employees scheduled on different days in case one person tests positive for COVID-19. The team strategy allows operations to continue if one entire team or workgroup must be quarantined.
• Wash and sanitize shared employee uniforms, costumes, equipment and props.

Security Checkpoints

• Post signs at entrances notifying visitors of risks associated with gathering in public spaces. 
• Reduce the number of personal items visitors can bring into the park. Require all items fit into a clear plastic bag for touchless inspections. 
• Establish guidelines to deal with visitors who refuse to wear protective masks or want to wear ineffective or offensive face coverings.

Not Recommended Procedures

• Temperature checks are not recommended due to the inconsistent nature of readings, particularly in outdoor environments. Visitors with COVID-19 could be asymptomatic and have a normal body temperature. Some government agencies may nonetheless require temperature checks. 
• Protective gloves are not recommended due to their ability to spread germs and the false sense of security they create. Frequent hand washing is preferable.

Sick Visitors

• Establish a containment room or isolation area for visitors or employees with potential COVID-19 symptoms. Move symptomatic visitors and their immediate party to the containment area for further assessment.
• Deny entry to symptomatic visitors and their immediate party. Offer guidance to symptomatic visitors regarding medical care or call an ambulance for visitors in distress.

Sanitization & Cleanliness

• Create “Clean Team” uniforms for employees cleaning the parks to make sanitizing efforts visible to visitors. Remind visitors of recent cleanings and sanitization.
• Dedicate employees to clean and disinfect restrooms frequently.
• Assign employees to monitor restroom capacity to uphold physical distancing guidelines.
• Disable every other toilet to maintain physical distancing protocols in restrooms.
• Disable water fountains and other common use items if permitted by the health department.
• Establish a tip line or create an app function for visitors to report health, safety or cleanliness concerns to management.

Rides & Attractions

• Stagger attraction opening times based on capacity or budget concerns.
• Eliminate single-rider lines designed to fill empty seats (an unnecessary practice in the age of social distancing). 
• Require visitors to wear protective face masks on rides. The dynamics of some attractions may prohibit the use of masks.
• Sanitize storage areas where riders stow their personal belongings while on a roller coaster or other attraction.
• Allow employees to use their feet or knees to physically verify safety gates are locked and secured.
• Sanitize ride control and dispatch panels between each employee rotation.

Shows & Parades

• Increase the number of show performances due to reduced seating capacity.
• Make end-of-show announcements asking visitors to exit the venue by section or row to reduce crowding.
• Develop character stage appearances or “drive-by” vehicle experiences to provide visibility from a distance.

Close & Cumbersome Attractions

• Close play areas, interactive mazes, touch pools and props-based experiences due to physical distancing or sanitation concerns.
• Close attractions that require VR headsets, 3D glasses, helmets or other accessories until cleaning protocols are established.
• Reevaluate time-consuming attractions that require personal harnessing like ropes courses, climbing walls and steel-cable swing rides.

Food & Beverage

• Eliminate self-service food operations like buffets and salad bars.
• Assign employees to pour beverages at self-service stations to minimize contact and keep equipment clean and sanitary. Use a new cup for each refill.
• Sanitize vending machines frequently. Offer sanitizing wipes in vending areas.

Shopping

• Add signs reminding visitors to only handle merchandise they intend to purchase.
• Allow guests to place purchased items into shopping bags themselves at register checkout.
• Remove doors and other high-touch surfaces if possible and permitted.
• Assign employees to sanitize point-of-sale terminals after each transaction.

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Theme Parks Invited to Submit Reopening Plans to State of Florida!

UPDATE (5/15/2020 1:40 pm)

Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, today gave the go-ahead for theme parks in the state to submit their plans for reopening. The parks were asked to give a date they feel they can safely reopen and their plan for doing so. The IAAPA guidelines listed above could essentially be used for submission to the state.

“They have to provide how they are going to do it, how they’re going to accommodate the guests, how they’re going to protect the staff and then they need to have an endorsement from the local official in their locality,” DeSantis said. 

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Let’s Hear From You

How do the IAAPA reopening procedures look to you? Do you think they are reasonable given the current circumstances? Were you surprised to see a recommendation for parks to NOT do temperature checks or have guests wear gloves? Let us know which of the procedures above you feel are most essential to protect both guests and employees!

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